3D-printed biomimetic structures for energy and environmental applications

Biomimetic structures involve design and fabrication to mimic the natural world, taking inspiration from the unique shapes, patterns, and functions of biological organisms. This approach has proven to be highly effective in building new functional and efficient structures for many applications. While it is often challenging to fabricate some of the complex biomimetic structures, the development of 3D printing technologies in recent years has made it more feasible, being a powerful tool for fabricating complex structures with high precision and accuracy, at the much reduced use of starting materials. In this review, we will examine the current state of biomimetic structures fabricated by 3D printing techniques and their specific applications in energy and environmental fields for the decarbonization demand. The different selected types of biomimetic structures that have been constructed using 3D printing, the materials used, and the unique properties obtained will be explored. Subsequently, some typical biomimetic structures for energy and environmental applications, such as supercapacitors, zinc-air batteries, oil/water separation, self-cleaning, water collection, droplet manipulation, etc., will be discussed. Finally, the opportunities in this rapidly changing area will be analyzed, hoping to provide insights into the innovative pathways that 3D-printed biomimetic structures can be used to address some challenges in energy and environmental areas.